1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pedal apparatus for a vehicle and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to provide a pedal apparatus that controls an operational state of a vehicle based on a force (hereinafter referred to as a pedal force), which is applied from a foot of a driver of the vehicle to a pedal.
For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-253824A teaches a pedal apparatus shown in FIG. 23, in which a distal end portion 6 of a pedal rod 5 is press-fitted into a press-fitting hole 4 of a rotatable member 3, which is rotatably supported by a support member 2. Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-166804A teaches a pedal apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 22, in which a distal end portion 240 of a pedal rod 200 is press-fitted into a press-fitting hole 310 of a rotatable member 300, which is rotatably supported by a support member 500. An intermediate portion 230 of the pedal rod 200 extends from and is bent relative to the distal end portion 240 into a L-shape. The intermediate portion 230 is fitted into a guide groove 320 of the rotatable member 300.
Referring back to FIG. 23, in the pedal apparatus of Japanese Unexamined
Patent Publication No. 2007-253824A, the pedal rod 5 is bent at the distal end portion 6, so that it is difficult to press-fit the distal end portion 6 into the press-fitting hole 4 of the rotatable member 3. Therefore, at the time of press-fitting the distal end portion 6 into the press-fitting hole 4, when a central axis of the distal end portion 6 is tilted relative to a central axis of the press-fitting hole 4 of the rotatable member 3, an inner wall of the press-fitting hole 4 of the rotatable member 3 may possibly be damaged by the pedal rod 5 to cause generation of a burr.
In contrast, in the pedal apparatus 100 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-166804A shown in FIG. 22, the intermediate portion 230 of the pedal rod 200 extends to the outside of the rotatable member 300. Therefore, at the time of press-fitting the distal end portion 240 into the press-fitting hole 310 of the rotatable member 300, a jig may be used to support a part of the intermediate portion 230, which extends outward from the rotatable member 300, to limit the tilting of the distal end portion 240.
However, in the case where the intermediate portion 230 extends to the outside of the rotatable member 300, a degree of design freedom with respect to a shape of an elongated portion 210, which extends from the intermediate portion 230 to the pad 250, is limited. Therefore, in the case where the pedal apparatus 100 and a brake pedal apparatus 110 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-166804A are installed in the vehicle, a distance L1 between the elongated portion 210 of the pedal apparatus 100 and a pad 111 of the brake pedal apparatus 110 may possibly become small. In such a case, at the time of depressing the pad 111 of the brake pedal apparatus 110, the foot of the driver may possibly contact the pedal rod 200 of the pedal apparatus 100 to cause interference.